La Légende de Temps ~ Ludwig (& Loki)

[Khell]

Well, it's not as if I wasn't ready to pounce and get that guy last year in October (when we all hoped he might be released for Halloween). I simply want him more than I'm disappointed or bugged out or angry that he probably won't be released anytime soon. Maybe my experiences with MMORPGs play into it, too. (seriously, I'm not kidding). With MMOs, what you only too often get is

- game X is announced.
- fans gather, the hype grows
- game X announces a release date
- the hype grows even more
- the release has to be delayed due to issues the programmers couldn't possibly know about before
- fans accept it, some start to ask for the new release date and are given one
- the new release date approaches but things aren't going very well in game X's beta, the isuses being more serious than expected
- more fans start to clamour that "we want game X - NOW"

And that clamouring grows louder and louder and finally, instead of keeping firm, the company (being after the money of the fans and afraid of losing some of them because of the new delay) pushes the release of game X and it's released half finished. Which makes the company lose more fans, in the end, than they would have lost if they'd delayed the release again and presented the fans with a well-finished, well-working game. And that happens with large companies like EA Games. A large company can cope with losing a few customers due to a flawed product. A small one can't, so it's all the more important they get their product right from the start - or at least before they lose the "hey, they're small, give them a chance"-bonus.

So, if you take this example and use it for the doll-world, I'd rather have a well-sculpted doll that's a great poser than something meh that was just released for the sake of releasing it and shutting up the people clamouring for it.

Of course, it might have been smarter to not say anything about Ludwig at all and instead, present him when he was finished or only announce him when he was almost finished ... On the other hand, if the only replies from LLT would have been "Sorry, no comment, he's done when he's done", that would probably have annoyed many, many more people than the delays are doing now.

[Cloudedmind]

Well, it's not as if I wasn't ready to pounce and get that guy last year in October (when we all hoped he might be released for Halloween). I simply want him more than I'm disappointed or bugged out or angry that he probably won't be released anytime soon. Maybe my experiences with MMORPGs play into it, too. (seriously, I'm not kidding). With MMOs, what you only too often get is

- game X is announced.
- fans gather, the hype grows
- game X announces a release date
- the hype grows even more
- the release has to be delayed due to issues the programmers couldn't possibly know about before
- fans accept it, some start to ask for the new release date and are given one
- the new release date approaches but things aren't going very well in game X's beta, the isuses being more serious than expected
- more fans start to clamour that "we want game X - NOW"

And that clamouring grows louder and louder and finally, instead of keeping firm, the company (being after the money of the fans and afraid of losing some of them because of the new delay) pushes the release of game X and it's released half finished. Which makes the company lose more fans, in the end, than they would have lost if they'd delayed the release again and presented the fans with a well-finished, well-working game. And that happens with large companies like EA Games. A large company can cope with losing a few customers due to a flawed product. A small one can't, so it's all the more important they get their product right from the start - or at least before they lose the "hey, they're small, give them a chance"-bonus.

So, if you take this example and use it for the doll-world, I'd rather have a well-sculpted doll that's a great poser than something meh that was just released for the sake of releasing it and shutting up the people clamouring for it.

Of course, it might have been smarter to not say anything about Ludwig at all and instead, present him when he was finished or only announce him when he was almost finished ... On the other hand, if the only replies from LLT would have been "Sorry, no comment, he's done when he's done", that would probably have annoyed many, many more people than the delays are doing now.

I'm currently waiting for a Sanada Yukimura nendoroid to be released that was originally scheduled for a March release, and was then pushed back to April, and we still have no word when he'll be released exactly.

No problem, we seem to have different expectations, that's all.

I think art is just art as long as it is l'art pour l'art. When you start to sell it (not to mention that you want to go pro and make a living of it - full or part time) then it is business. And business has rules. I don't understand why people regard BJD business an exception of these rules. Have you ever tried not to keep deadlines over and over again in your job? In your own business? At school with your tests and papers? (Even at schools of art!) The second time you don't keep your deadline due to 'unpredictable circumstances' you'll get a warning, third time you get fired, contract cancelled, dismissed or at least lose the trust of those who have expectations of you even if you do an outstanding, extraordinary work.

Yes, unpredictable things happen. But not all the time. When they turn out to strike you over and over again they are not unpredictable anymore. It's the same as the people who can never show up in time and always have a very good 'unpredictable' excuse. I am not talking about Julia and her sickness here, just in general to show you my point. I am not angry with her or anything, just... gave up my expectations.

I think the difference though with the examples you've mentioned is that with jobs you're being paid to finish by a specific time, if you don't you're costing your company and anyone else involved possible time and money, with a client the same thing, you've entered into a verbal or written contract that you'll finish work for them by a specific time. With a school you've entered into a type of contract when you added and then went to the class that you'll show up do the work to the best of your ability and if not either suffer a bad grade or get dropped. None of us has really entered into a "contract" with Julia either monetarily, verbally, or written.

[St. James]

I think art is just art as long as it is l'art pour l'art. When you start to sell it (not to mention that you want to go pro and make a living of it - full or part time) then it is business. And business has rules. I don't understand why people regard BJD business an exception of these rules.

I guess a lot of doll makers get a pass on this kind of strict business attitude because we understand that they are artists first and business people by accident. Often times these people are making dolls at home during the hours they aren't at their day job or with their family. Even having a studio and a web site that offers the illusion of a clean businesslike atmosphere doesn't make it happen that way. Even companies with fifty or one hundred employees have production delays sometimes, but in talking to some doll makers they say that they have to give themselves deadlines so that they have the impetus to finish, otherwise they would endlessly rework the sculpt. Julia is clearly the perfectionist sort and has already reworked the Ludwig head a few times, so if she gives herself a few deadlines it's probably a good thing, even if she can't actually meet them.

[Azha Nei]

Goodness knows I work better with a deadline. Makes prioritizing easier.

What's being missed in the timeline bit here is that in April 2011 she was talking about releasing a head. Had Ludwig remained just a head, he probably would've been out relatively on the original schedule. Somewhere along the way, though, she decided to make him her first full doll. Probably didn't feel the available bodies were fulfilling her vision. The body had to be done from scratch, and I'm not sure she'd sculpted a body before. Or if she did, if what she'd done before reflected where she is now as a sculptor and what she felt was right to sell.

So you sculpt and fiddle; and whether a sculptor or seamstress or painter or writer (raises hand), artists are anal perfectionists. She literally cut the first face in two and started over. Has changed the hands for proportion. Who knows what else has been altered. And it all has to be right before the molds are cast (cha-ching). And in the midst of thinking, "I can make this production schedule for April," her hands started hurting and itching which slowed her down. If she's like most of us, you don't think anything of it at first. Slap on some calamine lotion and keep going. But it turns out it's much worse and you have to stop working with the raw materials alltogether. Whih brings us to the current delay.

Yes, I was disappointed. Not in Julia, but in the situation. It's human and not any indication of being lesser than anyone else. But lord knows it's not the worst thing that's happened to me, so you get over it. It's a process. I did have the same scare, having waited so long for a doll I wasn't sure I wanted it anymore. But once I seperated the disappointed in the delay from the other doll, I happily realized I did still want him and have him on layaway. They'll wind up changing their place in line, so to speak. The Soul Doll will come first after all and Ludwig will happen later this year (hopefully).

As for Iple, there's still that new YID male to be released, so I don't feel out of their woods yet.

[Khell]

Oh, I definitely can sign the part about artists being perfectionists! It's the same with my writing - it's only fan fics, mind you, but nothing goes online that I don't think to be as perfect as I can get it, at that time.

[Vanilla.Sky]

Julia has new pictures on weibo.

[St. James]

Oh well, of course, right after I've obliterated the BJD/laptop/Fluevog fund entirely! Good thing there's going to be layaway!

[carmen171]

Good thing there's going to be layaway!

Yes this is a very good thing....Dolpa just wiped me out.....boy he is something!!!!!

[St. James]

Yes this is a very good thing....Dolpa just wiped me out.....boy he is something!!!!!

Seriously. YukinojOuch! I'm sure that more than one doll maker winces when their release date coincides too closely with Dolpa.

[MadamMauMau]

Holy &$£"&. That looks so different to the last version we saw. I don't know what she has done, but she has brought that magic back again. Has she lowered the lids? Does the mouth look more full? Somehow the face looks better filled out than it did following the face extension. It might just be the different colour. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. What an emotional rollercoaster this has been. But now, no monies!!!!!!!!!

[Khell]

Arrgh. Thanks for posting that gorgeous reminder of why exactly I'm holding on to all my doll-money the way that I do. Wow. Just - wow!!! That look, man! And now, imagine him face-upped to make him look like he's smiling slightly. Wicked!!!

[Vanilla.Sky]

three more

[IMG][/IMG]

[MadamMauMau]

FISH LIPS! Still looking good. I wonder why she hasn't posted these in her flickr WIP section. These really are current pictures, aren't they? Not old ones. And why are they all called "Harvey"? Is it because, after a year of waiting, we are starting to think that he might actually be a six foot, invisible rabbit? Do pardon me. I have a virus and my head is spinning. It is making me even more out of touch with reality than usual.

[Vanilla.Sky]

Yes, pictures are recent, she posted them a couple of days ago. They called Harvey cuz I want to call Ludwig so Sorry for causing misunderstanding

[MadamMauMau]

LOL. OK, that clarifies that. I did wonder if you had renamed them on saving. That was just to confuse my bad-addled brains, wasn't it?

[Vanilla.Sky]

for sure) Why else would I do so? )

[Khell]

Holy cow! That top image! Of those three! I think I just died. *faint*

[Akudem]

Holy cow! That top image! Of those three! I think I just died. *faint*

Seconded!!!

Though has she changed the nose? I thought it was straight before...o_O

[Khell]

Oh, I love slightly "crooked" noses. If they're not too crooked. His is just perfect.

[MadamMauMau]

I also love the slightly hooked nose.

Right, Julia, he is perfect now. STOP TINKERING, ALREADY!